Tommy John surgery
noun
Tom·my John surgery
ˈtä-mē-ˈjän- 
plural Tommy John surgeries
: a surgical procedure in which a torn ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow is replaced with a tendon graft typically obtained from a superficial muscle of the forearm : ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction
Dr. Timothy Kremchek, the medical director for the Cincinnati Reds, specializes in an elbow-ligament reconstruction procedure commonly known as Tommy John surgery, named for the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher who first underwent it, in 1974.—
Sara Corbett
Sara CorbettBut as an outfielder he hurt his throwing arm and had to have Tommy John surgery before the year was out.—Kelli Anderson
Kelli AndersonExamples of Tommy John surgery in a Sentence
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But after a rough 2023 campaign and a Tommy John surgery that kept him out of action from February of last year until June of this past summer, things didn't go according to plan.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Shortly into his first season with Texas in 2023, DeGrom underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career for a tear in his right ulnar collateral ligament.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2025
The 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner, Bieber has started just 11 games – including four in the postseason – since coming back from Tommy John surgery.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
In 2005, four players selected in the top 10 rounds of the amateur draft had already had Tommy John surgery earlier in their college or high school careers.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Tommy John surgery
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Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Shortly into his first season with Texas in 2023, DeGrom underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career for a tear in his right ulnar collateral ligament.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Oct. 2025
The 2020 American League Cy Young Award winner, Bieber has started just 11 games – including four in the postseason – since coming back from Tommy John surgery.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
In 2005, four players selected in the top 10 rounds of the amateur draft had already had Tommy John surgery earlier in their college or high school careers.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Tommy John surgery
Cite this Entry
“Tommy John surgery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Tommy%20John%20surgery. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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Tommy John surgery
noun
Tom·my John surgery
ˈtäm-ē-ˈjän-
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